PRESENTATION ON

MECHANISMS
MCT512
OGAKWU Michael Chinonso
ADIE, Unimke Chinonso
 MECHANISMS
Definition
Mechanism is a set of machine elements or components arranged in a
specific order to produce a specified motion. The machine elements or
components are considered rigid or resistant bodies which do not
deform or change in physical form due to forces acting on them.
For example belts, fluids etc.
The aim of this presentation is to discuss different ways of connecting
said rigid (resistant) bodies to obtain various types of mechanisms.
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KINEMATICS
Kinematics is a subject that deals with the study of the relative motion
of parts constituting a machine, neglecting the forces producing the
motion.
A structure is an assemblage of a number of resistant bodies meant to
take up loads or subjected to forces having straining actions, but having
no relative motion between its members.
A frame is a structure which supports moving parts of a machine.
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ELEMENTS OR LINKS
A link (or element or kinematic link) is a resistant body (or assembly of
resistant bodies) that constitutes part(s) of the machine, connecting other
parts which have motion relative to it.
For example, a slider crank mechanism
of an internal combustion engine
consists of four links, i.e. frame 1,
crank 2, connecting rod 3 and
slider 4.
Slider-crank chain
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Classification of Links
Links can be classified as binary, ternary, quaternary etc. depending
upon the ends which revolute or turning pairs can be placed as shown
in the diagram below. A binary link has two vertices, a ternary has three
vertices and so on.
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Types of Links
There are four types of links: rigid, flexible, fluid and floating links.
Rigid link is one which does not undergo any deformation while transmitting
motion.
Flexible link is one which while transmitting motion is partly deformed in a manner
that does not affect the transmission of motion.
Fluid link is one which is deformed by having a fluid in a closed vessel and the
motion is transmitted through the fluid by pressure as in the case of a hydraulic
jack.
Floating link is a link which is not connected to the frame.
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KINEMATIC PAIRS
Two links of a machine, when in contact with each other, are said to
form a pair.
A kinematic pair consists of two links which have relative motion
between them. In the slider-crank mechanism mentioned earlier, links
1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4 and 4 and 1 constitute kinematic pairs.
Kinematic pairs are classified according to the following
• Type of relative motion
• Type of contact
• Type of mechanical constraint
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Types of Mechanisms
When one of the links of a kinematic chain is fixed, the chain is called a
mechanism.
Mechanisms are of the following types
• Simple mechanism This is a mechanism which has four links.
• Compound mechanism This is a mechanism which has more than
four links.
• Complex mechanism This is formed by the inclusion of ternary or
higher order floating link to a simple mechanism.
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Types of Mechanisms
Planar mechanism This is formed when all the links of the mechanism
lie in the same plane.
Spatial mechanism This is formed when the links of the mechanism lie
in the same plane.
Equivalent mechanism Turning pairs of plane mechanisms may be
replaced by other types of pairs such as sliding pairs or cam pairs. The
new mechanism thus obtained having the same number of degrees of
freedom as the original mechanism is called the equivalent mechanism.
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Types of Mechanisms
For instance,
• A turning pair can be replaced by a sliding pair.
• A spring can be replaced by two binary links.
• A cam pair can be replaced by one binary link with two turning pairs
at each end.
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MECHANISMS AND MACHINES
A mechanism is obtained when one of the links of the kinematic chain
is fixed.
A machine is a combination of two or more mechanisms arranged in
such a way so as to obtain the required motion and transfer the energy
to some desired point by the application of energy at some other
convenient point.
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DEGREES OF FREEDOM
An unconstrained rigid body moving in space can have three
translations and three rotational motions (that is six motions) about
three mutually perpendicular axes.
The number of degrees of freedom of a kinematic pair is defined as the
number of independent relative motions, both translational, both
rotational that a kinematic pair can have.

𝐷𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑜𝑚 = 6 − 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑠

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DEGREES OF FREEDOM
The degrees of freedom of some of the systems are as follows:
• A rigid body has six degrees of freedom.
• A ball and socket joint has three degrees of freedom.
• The position of the crank of a slider-crank mechanism can be
expressed by the angle turned through and thus has one degree of
freedom.
• A circular shaft rotating in a hole and also translating parallel to its
axis has two degrees of freedom, that is, angle turned through and
displacement.
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GRASHOF’S LAW
This law states that for a four-bar mechanism, the sum of the lengths of
the largest and the shortest links should be less than the sum of the
lengths of the other links, that is,

𝑙 + 𝑠 < (𝑎 + 𝑏)
Where 𝑙, 𝑠 = lengths of the longest and the shortest links respectively
a, 𝑏 = lengths of the other links.
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Crank-lever Mechanism
When for every revolution of link 2, link 4 makes a complete oscillation, the
mechanism is called a crank-lever mechanism, as shown in the Figure below. Here
𝑙2 + 𝑙3 < (𝑙1 + 𝑙4 )

Crank-lever mechanism
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